Today my sister was set to walk in her graduation ceremony upon completion of her masters degree. The ceremony was about an hour away so my family decided to carpool. I met up with my dad, brother, and niece and we head out about 90 minutes before the ceremony. About 20 miles out of town a tire is going flat. The tires are 1 1/2 weeks old. So my dad stopped at a rest area and we got the tire changed. Of course it is raining and near the freezing point so a nice cold rain to work in. We put the spare on and lower the car and the spare is low on air. The tire is flat. The spare is nearly flat and we are running a little late. Still manageable.

So we are going to drive to the next exit and get air. So we get in the car and it won't start. No jumper cables with us nor tools. So we have to get someone to help us jumpstart our car. We get this done and we are back on our way. We will definitely be late, but not too much We drive to the next exit and head to a gas station. We find the air pump but it needs quarters which no one has. Get quarters fill up tire. We left the car running fearing we couldn't start it again and drive to the next city. We get to an auto parts store and they test the battery and it fails the test. So we have to get a new battery installed and we are about 40 minutes delayed. Needless to say we missed the start of the ceremony.

On the plus side we missed nearly an hour of processional and speeches and show up just in time for the presentation of the degrees. So I did get to see my sister get her diploma.

After the ceremony we are off to a regional restaurant that used to have a location in my town several years ago. This place was my sister's favorite restaurant as well as a family favorite. So we are all there. I know where it is since I've taken my kids there a few times so we are approaching the restaurant and it is awfully dark. Parking lot is empty but the sign is still up but not lit. If you guessed that they had gone out of business you'd be right.

We drive to another restaurant and wait to order until my BIL and nephews arrive. An hour later they show up as they were delayed by construction traffic. While we are waiting, my sister tells of her adventures of the day as she received the wrong hood and tassel that day and she spent time before the ceremony trying to get that corrected.

So just another crazy adventurous day with my family. One none of us will forget.

AKA Moo

Think of the haters in your life as sandpaper; they’ll scratch you up time and time again but in the end you’re polished, smooth, and spotless..while they end up useless

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Posts: 54137 | Registered: Jun 2007 | From: Big Blue Nation

nowiknow23♀ 33226Member # 33226

Posted: 10:06 PM, December 14th (Saturday), 2013

What a day! Glad you were all safe, made it to the graduation on time to see your sister's big moment, and all ended up laughing about it.

Big congratulations to your sister on her accomplishment!

You can call me NIK

“The most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves.”
― Pema Chödrön

Posts: 29085 | Registered: Aug 2011

DixieD♀ 33457Member # 33457

Posted: 10:37 PM, December 14th (Saturday), 2013

Wow....but Friday the 13th was yesterday.

Glad you didn't miss the ceremony and could take it all in stride.

Growing forward

Posts: 1767 | Registered: Sep 2011

NaiveAgain♀ 20849Member # 20849

Posted: 7:56 AM, December 15th (Sunday), 2013

Wow. I am speechless. (You know that doesn't happen much.)

I'm glad you got to see the important part of the graduation!

Original WS D-Day July 10, 2008. Kept lying, he is gone.
New WS (2 EA's, no PA) 12-3-13
If you don't like where you are, then change it. You are not a tree.

Posts: 15883 | Registered: Aug 2008 | From: Ohio

wildbananas♀ 10552Member # 10552

Posted: 8:51 AM, December 15th (Sunday), 2013

That's quite a day for sure! People probably won't believe all of it when you retell it in the future.

Glad you made it for the important-to-you part.

Travel light, live light, spread the light, be the light. ~ Yogi Bhajan

Posts: 15524 | Registered: Apr 2006 | From: Now an AZ girl

PurpleBirch♀ 39170Member # 39170

Posted: 8:57 AM, December 15th (Sunday), 2013

Wow. That is a lot for one day. It's good you can make light of it now, but I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time.

Aug 30 2013 He gives me back his ring with an ultimatum: "Get over it or get out".

Status: Done like dinner

Posts: 277 | Registered: May 2013 | From: The frozen North, eh?

Williesmom♀ 22870Member # 22870

Posted: 10:25 AM, December 15th (Sunday), 2013

Hey, at least you got all of your bad luck over with in one day!!

I've had days like that that are so good when they're over.

You can stuff your sorries in a sack, mister. -George Costanza
There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women. - Madeleine Albright

Posts: 8076 | Registered: Feb 2009 | From: Western PA

MovingUpward♂ 14866Member # 14866

Posted: 10:39 AM, December 15th (Sunday), 2013

Amazingly Friday the 13th was a good day. I never expected Saturday the 14th would bite me.

AKA Moo

Think of the haters in your life as sandpaper; they’ll scratch you up time and time again but in the end you’re polished, smooth, and spotless..while they end up useless

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Posts: 54137 | Registered: Jun 2007 | From: Big Blue Nation

Crushed1♀ 6449Member # 6449

Posted: 11:30 PM, December 15th (Sunday), 2013

(((Moo&family))) "Nobody told me there'd be days like these" from the John Lennon song started playing in my head after reading this.

I'm glad you finally did get there, especially in time to see her get her diploma/degree!

~~"You can't run away from yourself"!!! Me to my H when he descended into adultery insanity.
~~Prov.15:13 "By sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken"
~~"The day breaks-your mind aches"
~STRENGTH~PEACE~HOPE~FAITH

Posts: 9997 | Registered: Feb 2005 | From: Texas

ThoughtIKnewYa♀ 18449Member # 18449

Posted: 1:48 AM, December 16th (Monday), 2013

Amazingly Friday the 13th was a good day. I never expected Saturday the 14th would bite me.

It's ALWAYS Sat. 14th that bites you!

Posts: 11816 | Registered: Mar 2008

tushnurse♀ 21101Member # 21101

Posted: 9:36 AM, December 16th (Monday), 2013

congrats to your sister.

Sorry you had such a crappy adventure Moo - After the two tires I would have turned around and headed home, that's enough of that stuff to tell me I got no business going for some reason. LOL